The night is hot and sticky, the door is open but there is nothing even approaching a breeze to cool off the night air. The humidity is oppressive as it wraps around the restless occupants of the cabin.
John watches her as she sleeps, her long, dark eyelashes sweeping the curve of her cheek. Her breathing is low and regular. He can almost imagine it is Doc, lying there, only feet away....
He exhales softly and turns back to the empty fireplace. That way lies madness. That way, and it seems almost every other way he turns lately. He doesn't know how he's going to get through this. How is he going to contain the mercenary and reach Marlena. It is starting to feel like a race against time. Someone is going to break, and he's not sure which one of them it will be.
The past few days she has withdrawn, become quiet and almost listless and it worries him almost more than the aggressive forcefulness she exhibited before. She has given up her pursuit of him and will hardly even look at him.
And he's no closer to working out how to reach Marlena. Every day that slides by, he feels the tightness in his head grow a little more. He feels himself slip away a fragment at a time, and he feels his resolve and his determination to stay away from her weaken just a fraction.
He makes a strangled moan of rage and frustration deep in his throat as he shakes his head. He can't afford to think like that. He has to win. He has to get Marlena back. God only knows what kind of havoc Grace and the mercenary within him would create together. What kind of damage they might do to their family.
His head turns suddenly at the sound of a soft whimper from the bed and he watches her mouth twitch. She mumbles something softly and he inclines his head, trying to catch her words.
She whimpers again, and this time, the words that slip from her lips are clearer.
"Roman.... help...."
John feels his heart pounding as he crouches down beside the bed. There is a tiny furrow between her eyebrows as she blows out a tiny breath and John can feel it as a physical pain in his chest. He loves her so much, he would do anything for Marlena. He would die for her.
He will, if that's what it takes to get her back.
"Doc?" he whispers with utmost care. "Doc, baby, can you hear me?"
There is silence, and then, "Roman?"
"Doc, it's John," he lays his hand gently over hers. "Sweetheart, I'm here. I'm going to help you. It's safe to come back now baby. Please come back to me. I need you. We all need you."
He wants to scoop her up in his arms and hold her to him. He would give anything to see her golden eyes looking back at him and know that she is there, with him. It is almost too tempting, but he knows he cannot push his luck.
He waits through the silence, the twitching muscle in his jaw the only indicating the strain he is feeling.
It seems like forever before she whimpers again. And then he hears the word that makes his heart leap. "John?"
"Yeah, it's me baby. I'm here." He curls his hand around hers and squeezes. "I miss you so much Doc. *Please* come back."
"Cold," she shivers slightly. "It's so cold."
John's heart pounds raggedly in his chest. How can she be cold? It's so hot and he can even see the light sheen of moisture on her skin in the soft moonlight that peeps through the window.
And yet, the chill in her voice sounds so genuine. If he really is talking to Marlena, where is she that she is so cold? And so far away?
He watches her for the longest moment. And then, at last, he gives in and climbs onto the bed next to her. She sighs softly as he moves behind her and curls around her, enfolding her in his arms. The heat where their bodies touch is ferocious and John has to will himself not to run his hands over her skin. The feel of her against him is utterly compelling and he closes his eyes, nuzzling her softly.
"I've got you Doc," he murmurs into her hair. "I'm not letting you go. You gotta believe that." There is silence but she is practically shaking with unconscious fearfulness in his arms. "Baby, where are you?" he asks, his voice soft and tender. "Tell me how to get you back."
There is no reply, she just shivers and he holds her tighter. It hurts, that she is so close and yet he cannot reach her. And it hurts even more that this is all his fault.
"I'm sorry Doc. I'm *so* sorry for hurting you. For all the things I have done to you. I never knew." His voice cracks slightly and he takes a deep breath to steady himself. "Baby, you have to believe that. If I could take all those things on myself, if I knew how to take that pain away from you, you know I would. A thousand times."
There is no reply. Just her breathing and the loud chirp of insects outside.
Grace awakes, feeling as though she's wringing with sweat. She realizes why a moment later as she finds John's arms wrapped tightly around her. Her eyes widen in the gloom of early morning and then a tiny smirk plays around the edges of her lips. Perfect.
She turns over carefully and looks at him. He is fast asleep, the thick hair on his chest brushing her arm as she moves. She thinks he looks more relaxed than he has in a long time. His defences are down, but she doesn't think now is quite the right time. She's tried to rush things before and it doesn't work. John prefers coy and innocent and that's what she intends to give him. For the moment.
Schooling her expression into one of irritation, she pokes him in the arm.
John wakes with a start to find her staring back at him. She is still lying in his arms and her eyes are narrowed.
"M- morning," he says carefully. She doesn't say anything for a moment, just presses her lips together.
"Well, well, well. So, did you sleep well?" Her voice is caustic and as she raises her eyebrows, John's heart sinks.
"I-I'm so-" He cuts himself off. He has nothing to apologize "It's not what you think. You seemed... cold," he trails off lamely.
"Cold? Couldn't you come up with something even *slightly* believable?" Her expression hovers between anger and amusement and then suddenly, a half-smile that curls her reddened lips. She can't help herself, the look of alarm on his face is utterly adorable and it's too much fun to tease him. Besides, if she was to withdraw completely, he might get suspicious. "Baby," her voice becomes velvety soft as she trails her fingers up his arm. "You know if you want " she insinuates her foot between his bare calves and forces a slender leg between his. John groans as she slides up against him, "all you have to do," she brings her knee up gently, pressing herself against him as he becomes immediately aroused, "is ask."
"Grace," his voice is strained and desperate. He wants... oh God, what doesn't he want? He loves and adores Marlena, but the games this woman plays with him, with the body he loves, they are driving him to the limit of his self-control. "Please..."
"Please what, baby?" the silky rustle of her voice barely penetrates the fog of lust enshrouding him as her sticky bare skin moves rhythmically against his. "Please lick me?" There is a tiny chuckle and then John shudders as her tongue rasps against his throat. He tastes of salt and sweat and maleness and Grace finds herself even more turned on. She grinds herself against his thigh and moves her lips over to his ear. "Please do me?" There is only a whimper from John and she grins as she reaches down and begins to stroke him. "Please wrap your warm, wet tongue around me and blow me?"
"Ohhhhhh!" John groans as he thrusts against her almost involuntarily and then panting, he rolls her roughly onto her back and growls as he takes her lips.
Grace nearly screams with delight as he brings his leg up between hers and plunges his tongue into her mouth. His hands are all over her and she can feel him tearing at her shirt. It's almost too easy.
His mouth pulls at her skin and she gasps as she feels his hand on her breast. He is driving her almost insane with desire and she arches her back, groaning as he bites and licks her throat, his knee still moving roughly between her legs. He's brutal with desire and she can feel something different, something rough and merciless coursing through his blood.
Oh God, it's everything she could have asked for. And yet...
"Stop!" She pushes him away, gasping for breath. "Don't!"
He looks completely dazed as she pushes him further away. She scrambles up to the head of the bed, pulling tanned, slender legs up in front of her and her shirt tighter around her body.
"Wha-?" John blinks rapidly and then it's as though a switch clicks inside him and Grace sees understanding in John's eyes and shame flood his cheeks.
Nothing is said for a long minute and then John's brow creases.
"Why did you stop me?" he asks quizzically. "I don't understand. I'm grateful but I don't..." he stumbles to a halt and shakes his head in confusion.
He studies the silent, inscrutable woman before him, as she stares back. Marlena is usually an open book to him but Grace has him completely flummoxed. Not least because of her unexpected, unexplainable mood changes, which seem to becoming more and more frequent.
"I...." Grace avoids his eyes with uncharacteristic awkwardness. John says nothing and continues to watch her closely. He's not sure whether he buys this or whether it's just another one of her very skillful games.
She raises her eyes to his with more certainty. "I want you." Her voice is hoarse with lust. "I've made no secret of that. But you want *her*." There is venom in her voice and John has no doubt how much Grace loathes her alter-ego. But then her voice softens in such a way that it sends a shiver of dread and hunger through John. "But, I'm telling you now. When we next make love," she raises her brows and smirks, "it's going to be because you want *me*."
"We won't be making love." John says quietly. "We won't even be having sex."
"We'd be making the beast with two backs right now if I hadn't stopped you," she replies darkly, her eyebrows twitching up a fraction. "In fact, you still want me." She glances downwards indicating the bulge barely covered by his boxer shorts and her lips twitch in amusement. And then her voice is liquid velvet, it's dark, smooth sex and John can almost swear she is weaving a spell around him with just her voice and her words. "Just tell me you want me, baby, tell me that you want to be inside *me* and I'm yours."
He stares at her for a long moment, the wordless battle continuing apace in his head. And then, he angrily tears his gaze away from her. "This conversation is pointless," he grunts furiously as he pushes himself from the bed and stalks outside.
Grace watches him go and her expression breaks into a self-congratulatory smirk. A taste of his own medicine is just what the doctor ordered. She has the upper hand he is frustrated and confused. And hers for the taking....